1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an eyeglass device having primary and auxiliary frames with lenses and method of forming the same, more particularly to an eyeglass device having primary and auxiliary frames with lenses, in which the auxiliary frame is supported by and engaged with the primary frame magnetically and mechanically.
2. Description of the Related Art
Use of magnetic material to engage an auxiliary frame with lenses with a primary frame with lenses is known in the art. There are several types of magnetic engagement mechanisms known in the prior art. One of them utilizes an auxiliary frame with an attachable slide-on rim cover or like device. In this type of the magnetic engagement mechanism, a primary frame includes a magnetic material of a first polarity secured to the exterior peripheral portion thereof for attachment to a corresponding magnetic material of a second or opposite polarity on the auxiliary lens rim cover.
Another type of magnetic engagement mechanism involves using first magnetic members secured to the front portion of a primary lens frame and second magnetic members secured at the corresponding aligned positions on the forward portion of the auxiliary frame. Efforts have been made in the art to position first magnetic members on the various spots of the front portion, including the rim of the primary lens frame, the bridge of the primary lens frame, and top of both ends of the primary lens frame.
Efforts have been also made in the art to position magnetic members on the leg portions of the primary frame for better engagement mechanism.
One common problem related to the eyeglass devices using currently available magnetic engagement mechanism is that they often do not satisfactorily prevent the auxiliary frame from moving in various directions relative to the primary frame. Consequently, unintended disengagement of the auxiliary frame from the primary frame may happen from time to time, especially when users of the eyeglasses conduct physical exercises involving activities such as jogging, running, or jumping. Using complicated mechanical structures to provide additional support can increase cost and comprise the integrity of the eyeglass devices.
Therefore, there is a need for a new engagement mechanism for properly engaging an auxiliary frame with lenses with a primary frame with lenses.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which provides an eyeglass device with magnetic members received in housings formed on the temples of the primary frame, thus substantially enhancing the support for the auxiliary frame.
In one aspect of the present invention, an eyeglass device has a first and second pairs of lenses. The eyeglass device further has a primary frame and an auxiliary frame. The primary frame includes a front portion for holding the first pair of lenses, where the front portion has two opposed ends. A first temple is attached to one end of the front portion. The first temple has an inside surface, an opposite outside surface, and a housing formed on the inside surface, wherein the housing has a mouth and a bottom defining a socket therebetween to receive a magnetic member therein. A second temple is attached to the other end of the front portion. The second temple has an inside surface, an opposite outside surface, and a housing formed on the inside surface, wherein the housing has a mouth and a bottom defining a socket therebetween to receive a magnetic member therein. The first and second temples extend rearwardly from the front portion. The auxiliary frame includes a forward portion for holding the second pair of lenses, where the forward portion has two opposite ends. A first arm is attached to one end of the forward portion and has a magnetic member secured thereto. A second arm is attached to the other end of the forward portion and has a magnetic member secured thereto. The first and second arms extend rearwardly from the forward portion. When the auxiliary frame is detachably attached with the primary frame to form the eyeglass device, the first arm and the second arm of the auxiliary frame are projecting over and supported at least by the front portion of the primary frame to allow the magnetic member of the first arm to engage the magnetic member of the first temple, and the magnetic member of the second arm to engage the magnetic member of the second temple such that the auxiliary frame is disposed in front of the primary frame such that each lens of the second pair of lenses is in alignment with a respective lens of the first pair of lenses. The first and second pairs of lenses can have same or different optical characteristics such as focal point, color, refracting power, reflecting power, transparency, etc. In one embodiment, the first pair of the lenses are eyeglasses lenses, and the second pair of the lenses are sunglass lenses or lenses with a material or coating thereon to filter ultraviolet light or other specific wavelengths of light.
In another aspect of the present invention, a primary frame is adapted to receive a first pair of lenses and support an auxiliary frame. The auxiliary frame has a forward portion for holding a second pair of lenses, where the forward portion has two opposite ends. A first arm is attached to one end of the forward portion and has a magnetic member secured thereto. A second arm is attached to the other end of the forward portion and having a magnetic member secured thereto, wherein the first and second arms extend rearwardly from the forward portion. The primary frame has a front portion for holding the first pair of lenses, where the front portion has two opposite ends. A first temple is attached to one end of the front portion. The first temple has an inside surface, an opposite outside surface, and a housing formed on the inside surface, wherein the housing has a mouth and a bottom defining a socket therebetween to receive a magnetic member therein. A second temple is attached to the other end of the front portion. The second temple has an inside surface, an opposite outside surface, and a housing formed on the inside surface, wherein the housing has a mouth and a bottom defining a socket therebetween to receive a magnetic member therein. The first and second temples extend rearwardly from the front portion. When the primary frame is supporting the auxiliary frame, at least one of the first arm and the second arm of the auxiliary frame projects over and is supported at least by the front portion of the primary frame to allow the magnetic member of the at least one arm to engage the magnetic member of a corresponding temple such that the auxiliary frame is disposed in front of the primary frame such that each lens of the second pair of lenses is in alignment with a respective lens of the first pair of lenses.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, an auxiliary frame is adapted to receive a first pair of lenses and be supported on a primary frame. The primary frame has a front portion for holding the second pair of lenses, where the front portion has two opposite ends. A first temple is attached to one end of the front portion. The first temple has an inside surface, an opposite outside surface, and a housing formed on the inside surface, wherein the housing has a mouth and a bottom defining a socket therebetween to receive a magnetic member therein. A second temple is attached to the other end of the front portion. The second temple has an inside surface, an opposite outside surface, and a housing formed on the inside surface, wherein the housing has a mouth and a bottom defining a socket therebetween to receive a magnetic member therein. The first and second temples extend rearwardly from the front portion. The auxiliary frame has a forward portion for holding the first pair of lenses, where the forward portion has two opposite ends. The first arm is attached to one end of the forward portion and has a magnetic member secured thereto. A second arm is attached to the other end of the forward portion and has a magnetic member secured thereto. At least one of the first and second arms includes a body extending rearwardly from the forward portion, an extension projecting downwardly from the body, and a flap projecting horizontally away from the body, wherein the extension has a socket located below the flap to secure the magnetic member of the at least one arm therein. When the auxiliary frame is supported by the primary frame, the at least one arm of the auxiliary frame projects over and is supported at least by the front portion of the primary frame to allow the flap of the at least one arm to be supported by the top portions of the housing of a corresponding temple and the magnetic member of the at least one arm to engage the magnetic member of the corresponding temple such that the auxiliary frame is disposed in front of the primary frame such that each lens of the first pair of lenses is substantially in alignment with a respective lens of the second pair of lenses.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming an eyeglass device using a primary frame and an auxiliary frame. The primary frame has a front portion for holding a first pair of lenses, the front portion having two opposed ends. A first temple is attached to one end of the front portion and extends rearwardly from the front portion. The first temple has an inside surface, an opposite outside surface, and a housing formed on the inside surface, wherein the housing has a mouth and a bottom defining a socket therebetween to receive a magnetic member therein. A second temple is attached to the other end of the front portion and extends rearwardly from the front portion. The second temple has an inside surface, an opposite outside surface, and a housing formed on the inside surface, wherein the housing has a mouth and a bottom defining a socket therebetween to receive a magnetic member therein. The auxiliary frame has a forward portion for holding a second pair of lenses, the forward portion having two ends. A first arm is attached to one end of the forward portion and has a magnetic member secured thereto, and a second arm is attached to the other end of the front portion of the auxiliary frame and has a magnetic member secured thereto, wherein at least one of the first and second arms includes a body extending from rearwardly from the forward portion, an extension projecting downwardly from the body, and a flap projecting horizontally away from the body, wherein the extension has a socket located below the flap to receive the magnetic member of the at least one arm therein. The method includes a step of detachably placing the auxiliary frame over the primary frame so that the at least one arm of the auxiliary frame projects over and is supported at least by the front portion of the primary frame to allow the flap of the at least one arm to be supported by the top portions of the housing of a corresponding temple and the magnetic member of the at least one arm to engage the magnetic member of the corresponding temple such that the auxiliary frame is disposed in front of the primary frame, thereby to allow the auxiliary frame to be stably supported by the primary frame.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.